Survivor of Kalamazoo bike crash participating in first 80-mile ride – Fox17

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- One of the survivors of the deadly Kalamazoo bike crash tragedyis set to be one of the thousands of bicyclists participating in the Gran Fondo bike event Saturday in Grand Rapids.

Paul Gobble suffered from a head injury, spinal cord damage, and a fractured fibula in the crash last Junewhen an erratic driver drove into the group of bicyclists called 'Chain Gang' killing five people.

Since that crash Gobble has been working with professionals at Mary Free Bed Hospital to recover.

It will mark completion of a full circle for me, Paul said. Im looking forward to that ride.

The 80 mile ride today will be his first.

Ive never done an 80-mile ride before, so Im a little nervous about it, Gobble said. But what better way to tackle the challenge than to do it alongside your very own Mary Free Bed physical therapist? I just cant say enough about how thankful I am for Mary Free Bed.

He says if there is one thing he wants people to know it`s to wear a helmet when riding your bike.

Even if you are a very safe rider and youre not riding hard for sport, you need a helmet in case someone else makes a mistake, he said. The day I was struck by a truck on the road while cycling, I did a lot of things right to keep me safe. But the only thing I did that really helped me, that saved my life, was to put on my helmet before I started to ride.

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Survivor of Kalamazoo bike crash participating in first 80-mile ride - Fox17